Sabbath?
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. – Genesis 2:2-3, NIV
“Sabbath is a time to transition from human doings to human beings. It is a day to celebrate a God who makes time for us to be with him.” – Matthew Sleeth
“The Sabbath is the link between the paradise which has passed away and the paradise which is yet to come.” – Andrew Wylie
Sabbath feels foreign to most of us and it makes sense. We live largely without Sabbath or sabbath practices. What is odd though is how quickly the shift away from Sabbath has happened. Not only was sabbath mainstream not that long ago, it was seen as vital. In losing sabbath, we’ve lost far more than a day off. We’ve lost a rhythm which is designed into our very being. Recent productivity studies confirm, the most productive a human can be without a day off is 55 hours max. Anything beyond that and, more hours on task does not equate with more production. Let me run the math on that, 6X8=48. Curious isn’t it? I hope, you don’t need more convincing; sabbath is a good discipline for us. Maybe instead, you are wondering how do I learn to practice sabbath? It seems kind of curious in a way but, we probably need some help figuring out how to sabbath well since, most of us have no tracks to run on here. The best practical help I can offer is from John Mark Comer, from his book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Here he suggests using a basic 4 part grid for sabbath.
1. Stop. This is the ‘do no work’ part of sabbath. We have to find a way to stop the normal ‘work-a-day’ grind. We have to find a way to unplug from the world. It will look different for you but, the first thing you need to do is stop (and its harder than you think).
2. Rest. Rest can be sleep but, its more than that. Rest can be activity if it is ‘restorative’ activity. A slow walk. A moseying bike ride. A “Sunday Drive” where you’ve no destination and your hope is to simply unwind.
3. Worship. And yes worship can be gathering with others for “church” but, that is far too small a frame for what the Bible describes as worship. As Comer puts it, “…anything to index your heart toward grateful recognition of God’s reality and goodness.” So again, you are limited only by your creativity and personality here. Some of you can worship around a great meal. Others of us need a long walk in a wood or park.
4. Banish Restlessness. We live in a world that runs on mal content. We’ve got to keep grinding. We’ve got to keep chasing. We’ve got to go after what’s ours because no one is going to hand it to us. But, we shouldn’t buy those capitalist driven consumer minded lines of thinking. We should be people who know and experience grace on such a level that our lives have been changed. I need not constantly chase the next (phone, car, house, job, promotion, social media post…) because, I realize that the most vital things have been given to me by a generous God. He invites me to receive His good gifts, not earn or chase them. And so, we have to remind ourselves (everyday, but especially in sabbath) “Jesus has everything I need today.”
And while there is a good deal of room for creativity, I have found those 4 ideas help me to screen well if something fits into my practice of sabbath. If your journey into practicing sabbath is anything like mine, it will be bumpy and full of fits and starts. Even so, it is a life-giving practice and one which is well worth the effort invested.
Questions for further discussion/life application:
What part of sabbath-ing is or will be most difficult for you?
How/when will you begin to practice sabbath?
Reflecting on your story, when have you experienced sabbath (maybe a vacation, maybe as a child)?
Reflecting on your story, what habits or thought patterns need to change for you to enter more fully into sabbath?
Further Resources:
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
24/6 A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life by Matthew Sleeth
A song for Sabbath: God Rested by Andrew Peterson